Dealcoholizing alcoholic liquids



H. HEUSER March 10, 1931.

DEALCOHOLIZING ALCOHOLIC LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l Qsw March 10, 1931. E 1,796,022

DEALCOHOLIZING ALCOHOLIC LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE HUBER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'I'O UNITED STATES PROCESS COB- .IORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS DEALCOHOLIZING' ALCOHOLIC LIQUIDS Application filed January 26, 1928. Serial li o. 249,808.

The present invention relates to improvements in the dealcoholization of fermented beverages, and while generally applicable to such materials, 'it is described hereinafter more articularly as applied to fermented cereal everages such as beers, ales and the like. It will be fully understood from the following description, illustrated by the accompanymg drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates, partly in section, ap-

paratus suitable for carrying the invention mto efiect;

' Fig. 2 illustrates a modified form of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 illustrates a second modified form of a portion of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of drawings, the numeral 5 indicates an evaporator formed of an internal cylinder 6 surrounded byan external spaced cylinder 7, the space between the two cylinders forming a jacket for the admission of steam or other suitable heating medium. The heating medium, for example, steam is supplied to the jacket from the manifolds 8 by the valved pipes 9. The beverage stock to be treated is supplied to the evaporator 5 through the supply pipe 10 and the rotatable distributing ipe 11, by which the material is distributed over the upper end of the inner wall of the cylinder 6 in a flowing film, as illustrated, for example, in my Patent 1,500,618, granted July 8, 1924. Suitably distributed over the inner wall of the evaporator, the stock flows downwardly in a continuous film which is heated while a vacuum is preferably maintained within the evaporator as hereinafter described, and its alcohol together with its more easily vaporizable constituents driven off. The dealcoholized residue liquid discharges through the pipe 12 into the receiver 13, from which it may be withdrawn by any suitable means.

he vapors driven off from the evaporator pass out through the vapor conduit 14 into the tubular condenser 15, passing through the tubes 16 surrounded by a coolin space to which water is supplied by the valve controlled pipe 17. The cooling of the vapors is so controlled that the alcohol present therein is condensed in the tubes 16. The condensate, including the alcohol, and the cooled uncondensed vapors then enter the chamber 18 in the lower portion of the tubular condenser, from which the uncondensed cooled vapors are separately with drawn through the pipe 19 leading to the intake of a dry vacuum pump 20, by which the desired vacuum, say 20 inches, may be secured. These vapors include, among other constituents, carbon dioxide originally dissolved inthe beverage stock andthe aroma producing vapor substances which are of value for imparting a distinctive flavor and bouqluet to the beverage material.

T e alcoholic condensate from the chamber 18 in the base of the tubular condenser 15 is discharged through the tube or pipe 21, which, in the form shown in Fig. 1, is of sufficient length to permit the maintenance of a barometric column of the liquid. The lower end of the pipe 21 opens into a receptacle 22, open to the atmosphere, in which a Ody of liquid is maintained, overflowing through the pipe 23. The cooling water from the space in the tubular condenser surrounding the tubes 16 is continuously discharged through the pipe 24.- and likewise enters the receptacle 22, continuously dilut-' ingthe discharged condensate to an alcoholic concentration substantially below 0.5%. The liquid discharging through the pipe 23 is thus a diluted liquid, wh1ch may be freely handled or which may be discharged direct- 1y to the sewer.

B operatin in the manner described the alcohol secure from the evaporation of the beverage stock is dissi ated under conditions fully complying with all legal requirements, and at the same time the valuable non-alcoholic constituents of the vapors are preserved and may be utilized, if desired, in improving the characteristics of the dealcoholized liquid, for example, as described in my co-pending application Serial No. 249,637, filed of even date herewith.

In Fig. 2 I have illustrated a modified form ofmy invention, in which the barometric column discharge from the condenser is dispensed with. Referring to Fig. 2, the

Silt

. numeral indicates the tubular condenser charged through the line 21;

- tent,

receiving the vapors from the evaporator through the line 14. The cooling medium is sup lied through the line 17 and d18- char e through the line 24 to a receiver 25 whic likewise receives the condensate dis- Cooled uncondensed vapors and gases, are, as in Fig. 1, withdrawn through the line 19 by the vacuum pump 20.

In the receiver 25 the condensate and used cooling medium are mixed, forming a diluted solution of satisfactorily low alcohol conwhich is withdrawn through the pipe 26, by the pump 27 and discharged to any suitable point or wasted.

Fig. 3 illustrates a second modified form of operation of this invention, in which the water used for condensation is dischaigged into the barometric column itself instea of into the receiver at the lower end of the baro metric colunm. In Fig. 3 the numeral 15 designates the tubular condenser receiving the vapors from the evaporator and discharging its condensate through the line 21", the lower end of which is enlarged as at 21". The cooling liquid supplied to the condenser through 1311611116 1-7 is discharged through the line'2l which likewise enters the enlargement 21 at the base of the pipe 21. The piple 21 opens into the receptacle '22, in whic a bed or liqnid is maintained, dis- 'c a ge being 11 Tough the Werflow Pipe the-surface of the liquid in the receptacle 22 is exposed to atmospheric ressure. The

heightioi the column forme by the pipes 21 and 21 is suflicient to form a barometric discharge column for the liquid condensate and cooling water.

.Althoug I have described my invention in connection with various specific detailsof apparatus for carrying it into eilect, it is to be understood thatthese details are not to be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention, except in so far as included in the-accompanying claims. v

I claim: I

1. In the method of dealcoholizing alcohol-containing liquids, and disposin of the removed alcohol, heating the alco ol-containin liquid to remove the alcohol in vapor form t erefrom, passing the alcoholic vapors through a cooling zone in indirect conduo tive contact with aqueous cooling liquid, thereby condensing the alcoholic constituents of the vapors, separately removing the uncondensed constituents of the vapors, and combining thealcoholic condensate and. the aqueous cooling liquid and discharging the combined liquid.

2. In the method of dealcoholizing alcoholic liquids and disposing of the alcohol derived therefrom, heating the alcoholic liquid to remove the alcohol therefrom in vapor form, passing thevapors to a cooling n'zeaoaa combined mixture at atmospheric pressure.

3. The method of dealcoholizing an alcoholic liquid and disposing of the alcoholic portion thereof which comprises passing the alcoholic liquid coholic vapors throu h a cooling zone, cooling the vapors therein by indirect heat conbelow atmospheric through a heating zone in which it is heated to remove the alcoholtherefrom in vapor form, passing the alductive contact witha continuously supplied aqueous cooling medium, thereb conensing the alcohohc constituents 0 said vapors, separately exhausting the uncondensed constituents of the vapors at a rate suflicient to maintain a pressure substantially below atmospheric u on the heating and condensing zones, disc arging the alcoholic condensate through a barometric column while maintaining a body of liquid at the base thereof, and supplying the aqueous coolin medium from the cooling zone to said body of liquid.

t. In apparatus for removin alcohol from alcoholic liquids and disposm of the removed alcohol, means for heating the liquid to remove the alcohol therefrom, a condenser, means for conveying alcoholic vapors from the heatin means to the condenser, means for supp ying a cooling medium in indirect heat conductive contact with the alcoholic vapors in the condenser, means for separately withdrawing uncondensed vapors from the condenser, and means for combinin cooling medium leaving the condenser.

-- 5. In apparatus for removing alcohol from alcoholic liquids and disposmg of the removed alcohol, an eva orator, means for supplying alcoholic liquid thereto, a condenser, means for conveying alcoholic vapors from the evaporator to the condenser, means for passing cooling liquid in indirect heat conductive contact with the alcoholic vapors ,supplying alcoholic liquid thereto, a sonthe condensate and are denser, means for conveying alcoholic vapors from the evaporator to the condenser, means for passing cooling liquid in indirect heat conductive contact with the alcoholic va ors in the condenser to condense the al-. co o1 therefrom, means for exhausting uncondensed va ors from the condenser to maintain re uced pressure within the evaporator and condenser, a barometric discharge conduit for the condensate from the condenser, a receptacle into which said conduit opens, means for supplying cooling medium from the condenser to said recep- 'tacle, and means for discharging admixed 15 condensate and coolin medium therefrom.

H RMAN HEUSER. 

